1. Field
Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to improving congestion in communication links between NodeBs and radio network controllers.
2. Background
Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, broadcasts, and so on. Such networks, which are usually multiple access networks, support communications for multiple users by sharing the available network resources. One example of such a network is the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN). The UTRAN is the radio access network (RAN) defined as a part of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a third generation (3G) mobile phone technology supported by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The UMTS, which is the successor to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technologies, currently supports various air interface standards, such as Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Time Division—Code Division Multiple Access (TD-CDMA), and Time Division—Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA). The UMTS also supports enhanced 3G data communications protocols, such as High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), which provide higher data transfer speeds and capacity to associated UMTS networks.
Furthermore, in some situations and in some systems, a UE may have the option of being served by (a) multiple carriers of a single cell (e.g. a serving cell) or (b) multiple cells utilizing a single carrier (e.g. a serving cell and a neighbor cell). Typically, the network determines the communication mode of the UEs under its control. In some examples, this determination will entail specifying which of communication modes (a) and (b), above, will be utilized by such a UE.
Both multi-cell and multi-carrier communication modes are currently utilized in modern wireless communication systems. For example, Dual-Carrier HSDPA (DC-HSDPA), which was standardized by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for UMTS Release 8, allows a UE to be served by two carriers. Additionally, some multiflow wireless systems (e.g. UMTS Release 11) allow for Single-Frequency Dual-Cell HSDPA (SF-DC HSDPA or SF-DC), wherein a subject UE may be served by two cells in the same carrier or frequency. These two cells may reside at the same network entity (e.g. NodeB) or may reside at separate network entities.
Where both multi-cell, single-carrier and multi-carrier, single-cell UE communication modes are configured on a particular UE and the network is configured to communicate in such modes, the network must decide which mode that the UE should utilize. Methods and apparatuses for making such a determination have not been sufficiently described or discussed in the prior art. As the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, research and development continue to advance the UMTS technologies not only to meet the growing demand for mobile broadband access, but to advance and enhance the user experience with mobile communications. Thus, an improved method and apparatus for setting UE communication modes in multiflow wireless systems is needed.